


Convincing enough

by PerriewinkleNerdie



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novel)
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-31 20:14:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21151565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerriewinkleNerdie/pseuds/PerriewinkleNerdie
Summary: It's just like her first day but different. Better.





	Convincing enough

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, hello, hello!  
Angst was yesterday, a result of my fool mood. It's back to fluff, cause I can't stay away from it for too long :D  
This idea was in my head for a solid four months and I decided to finally give it a shot  
Enjoy! <3

„Hey... you can do this” his voice is soft, as is his touch, fingers grazing her palm, calming her down. She nodded, focusing on the scalpel and scalpel only. Tuning out everything except for the touch and sound of his voice, she positioned the blade. “There you go. Nice and easy.” Seconds later the cut is made, perfectly in between the ribs. “Now the tube.”

His fingers brush against hers as they insert the chest tube. Blood begins flowing through it, spilling onto the floor as the woman takes a deep breath. The young doctor sits back on her feet, staring at the fallen patient incredulously.

“We… we did it!” she exclaimed, looking to the older man for confirmation.

“She’s stable. Get her into surgery… She’s gonna make it.” he called out to the nurses, taking a few steps away to allow them to do their work. His arm brushed against her arm and sparks shot through her body, endorphins coursing in her bloodstream.

“Doctor… that was… absolutely amazing!”

“You’re right. It’s pretty amazing you didn’t get her killed.” He replied, crossing his arms over his chest, his tone flat.

“Wait, what?” her tone fell as she felt like she just slammed into the wall at full force.

“Your examination was slow and superficial. Your scalpel technique, amateur at best…” he trailed off, his attention seemingly at everything but her.

“Amateur? Maybe you can give me private lessons.” She smirked slightly, her eyes sparkling in the bright light of the hospital hall.

“Ha! I just might, Doctor… Herondale. But I sincerely doubt you could afford my salary.” Throwing back her ID card, he turned around and went away without so much as looking at her again.

“What an asshole…” Claire muttered under her breath before conversing with nurses briefly and running to orientation.

\---- ---- ----

Next time she ran into Dr. Ramsey she made sure to talk to him like a normal human being. He actually seemed less annoyed this time round. He even smiled at her, his words lingering on the edge of being flirty.

Third time was horrific. If she had to choose the worst moment of her day, that would be it. Misdiagnosing a patient is one thing. Being dragged through the mud because of it, by her attending, a man she admired since she was in high school, was another. And that was almost worse. It gave her a lot to think about, pushed her into the closet and made tears fall from her eyes. Bryce tried cheering her up, but that was something she had to overcome by herself.

And she did, figuring out the cause of Annie’s illness and managing to right her ship in Ethan’s eyes. At the end of the day, she was dragged away by her new friends to the bar with celebration in mind. Ethan was there too, sitting by the bar, swirling the last drops of his drink in the glass. His gaze shifted to her, meeting her green eyes, staring at her for a long moment. Almost as though he was calling her over with his blue irises. So that’s exactly what she did. She sat down next to him, feeling and seeing him watching her.

“Something wrong, Dr. Ramsey?”

“Just noticing how… different you look out in the real world.” He responded, allowing his eyes to run over her body, not as briefly as one would think be appropriate. The bartender approached them, asking what her order was. Eyeing his glass, she asked for two scotches, neat, sliding one of them to him once they were ready. He smirked as he lifted the glass to his lips, asking why not on the rocks.

“The ice changes the flavor.” She grinned, looking at him boldly. He nodded, agreeing with her.

“You know I can’t be bribed into favoring you, right?”

“I think you already favor me” Claire blinked once, smiling so widely her cheeks would probably start hurting soon. The corners of his lips lifted, replying before downing his drink in one long gulp.

“You keep believing that.”

After that, he requested two special drinks, which prompted the conversation about leaving work where work belongs. He seemed pensive when he talked, but there was something in his eye that had her wondering if he was telling the whole story. By the time they changed the subject, their drinks were ready. She found it delicious, expressing her feelings.

“You’re either sucking up to me, or you’ve got surprisingly refined taste for an intern.” He pointed out, observing her with curious eyes.

“I’m surprising in a lot of ways.” She shrugged, grinning widely. Ethan leaned in a little, his voice dropping a few octaves, low and warm.

“You’ll have to prove it.”

\---- ---- ----

Two hours later, Claire walked out of the bar with her friends, looking at the hospital building wistfully. The thought of going back there in just a few short hours made her feel even more tired than she already was. Sienna came up with the idea of all of them getting a place together, and everyone agreed. Everyone except for Claire.

“Sorry guys, I’m going to have to pass. I like my place, I can’t exactly move out. I’d love to spend more time with all of you, I just can’t do that with you.” she spoke quietly, not wanting to offend any of them. Sienna wrapped her arms around her shoulders, shaking her head.

“Don’t worry about it, Claire. Just know that we are _definitely_ visiting you sometime soon. That apartment of yours must be amazing, there’s no way we’re going to miss it!”

“Yeah…” she laughed nervously, trailing off.

Her taxi ride was long as the traffic got worse. How was that possible that even in the middle of the night, the streets were full and packed with cars and people. Her phone lit up with a text message that made her grin, her hand flying to the chain around her neck for a long moment.

At long last, she found herself at home, locking the front door behind her and leaning against it with a heavy sigh. She felt a pair of eyes on her, heard the sound of the book being put down on the table and soft footsteps approaching her.

“Tough first day?” he asked, opening up his arms for her. She fell into them, burying her face in his chest, taking a deep breath, his scent calming her senses.

“You have no idea. There was this asshole that made me question myself at least three separate times. Incredibly handsome but insists on testing me, making me prove myself.” She whined, her forehead pressed against his collarbone.

“A handsome asshole has been bothering you? Maybe I should do something about it. Talk to him or something.”

“I don’t think he likes being told what to do by other people. He did mention that I may have a refined taste, but didn’t say in what. If I had to guess, I’d say…” she leaned back, trailing her hands up his neck and into his hair, pulling him closer, their lips brushing against each other as she spoke. “… that I have an excellent taste in men.”

“And in choosing husbands. I would be so lost without you.” he murmured before kissing her softly, their eyes fluttering shut.

“I agree. And I would be lost without you too.”

They went about their evening, eating and talking about her day, him listening about her patients and their diagnosis, her new friends and colleagues. When night got dark, they retired to bed, lying in each other’s arms, his hand running up and down her back soothingly.

“Do you think we were convincing enough today?” he asked, turning his head to kiss her forehead as he grinned.

“Oh, I think you did just right. The way you ripped me to shreds?” she leaned on her elbow as she looked at him with a smirk. “There is no way anyone is even thinking about us knowing each other, let alone being married, Ethan.”

He took her hand in his, their wedding bands sparkling in the dim light. Raising her palm, he pressed his lips to the warm metal ring, closing his eyes for a short moment. He then looked up at her, all the love he had for her pooling in there. Claire wrapped her hand around the back of his neck, pulling him on top of her and into the kiss. They remained tangled with each other for a long while, time barely an inconvenience, not concerning them. Tiredness took over them slowly, their kisses getting lazier and sloppier. At long last, they separated, beginning to fall asleep. Ethan wrapped his arms around Claire again, tight and warm embrace bringing the sense of peacefulness, comfort and safety to both of them.

“It’s going to be a challenge, isn’t it.” she asked, her lips brushing against the skin of his chest.

“I think we’ll do just fine. And if you ever feel the need to have your way with me, you know where to find me.” His tone revealed how smug he was with the whole situation. Her shoulders shook as she laughed softly.

“It’s a good thing one of us has an office. And a desk. I’m going to make good use of that desk of yours. And that tie…” she teased, deeply satisfied and proud of herself as she heard him groaning deeply before sleep took them both.


End file.
